OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT Diane Grob Schmidt, Ph.D. President-Elect, 2014 President, 2015 Immediate Past President, 2016
November 4, 2015
The Honorable Lamar Alexander Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions 428 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable John Kline Chairman, House Committee on Education and the Workforce 2181 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Patty Murray Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions 154 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510
The Honorable Robert Scott Ranking Member, House Committee on Education and the Workforce 2101 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Chairman Alexander, Ranking Member Murray, Chairman Kline, and Ranking Member Scott:
As you and your fellow conferees work to create a compromise draft of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the American Chemical Society (ACS) urges you to maintain support for a Senatepassed STEM Education provision, Title II-E. This vital program provides each state with dedicated resources to focus on improving teaching and learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) subjects. The STEM provision would modernize the Department of Education’s existing Math and Science Partnerships (MSP) program. This is a proven program that aims to increase the academic achievement of students in mathematics and science by enhancing the content knowledge and teaching skills of K-12 educators. The MSP program provides formula grant resources to states, so they can then administer grant competitions and facilitate partnerships between high-need school districts and local universities, businesses, and non-profits to implement research-based best practices in schools. Each year, this program impacts nearly 2.4 million students and 43,000 STEM educators, coaches, and administrators through rigorous, sustained professional development. I have enclosed an ACS infographic that highlights the funding levels received by each state based on current funding levels. In today's economy, well-educated scientists and engineers drive the technology development that allows the United States to maintain its competitive edge in the global marketplace and improve the well-being of citizens worldwide. To prepare current and future students with the necessary skills to address rapidly evolving technology, improvement to all levels of STEM education is critical. As you consider this law, I hope you will continue to set a high bar for our nation's schools in preparing students for today's increasingly competitive world and providing our educators the resources necessary to meet this challenge.
American Chemical Society 1155 Sixteenth Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 T [202] 872 4461 F [202] 872 6338 www.acs.org
We look forward to our continued collaboration with both committees as they address legislation that impacts the competitiveness and sustainability of our nation’s education and workforce. If ACS can be of any assistance to you or your staff, please do not hesitate to contact Lauren Posey at
[email protected].
Sincerely,
Diane Grob Schmidt, Ph.D. 2015 President American Chemical Society
